“What is this?” Queen Pirouette cast a sullen gaze at the platter before her. Upon the platter were various raw vegetables arranged in a circular pattern. A small bowl of some white sauce of unknown origin sat squarely in the middle. There were slices of carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and even green bell peppers. Granted, it was colorful, attractive to the eye, but Pirouette was at a loss. In her entire life, no one had had the temerity to serve her uncooked food!
It had taken the Chief Cook twenty minutes (or more) to reach the Queen from the kitchen. Wiping his hands nervously, he replied, “It’s called crudité. It’s quite the rage. All the smart people are eating it. And according to your chief surgeon, the health benefits are innumerable!”
“If you let my surgeon dictate what comes out of your kitchen, you will be responsible for my ire.” Pirouette spoke clearly and evenly without a trace of anger. “If it’s as great as you say, then you eat some.”
With that, the chef picked up a piece of broccoli, dipped its head into the sauce and then popped it in his mouth. He smiled as he did so. “Crunchy,” he said enthusiastically with little bits of green debris sticking to his teeth.
“Very well,” said Pirouette. She took a piece of carrot, dipped in into the sauce and took a bite. It was good! Surprisingly good! “It’s not bad,” ruled the Queen. “I shall eat what I can. What is the soup for today?”
Beautiful Photographs 